1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to the construction of an inflatable mattress assembly, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to such an assembly which is especially constructed for use by long term invalid patients.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
One problem which has always been faced by the health care industry is the difficulty of providing adequate bedding for long term patients, many of which may lie in bed for years and be unable to move themselves. One serious health problem encountered by these patients, which is a result merely of the fact that they must remain in bed for extended times, is the creation of bed sores on the patient's skin due to irritation from the bed. Another problem which is encountered by the care giver, such as a nurse, is the difficulty of moving such patients, e.g., to roll them over on the bed.
Many different approaches have been tried to alleviate the problem of bed sores in long term patients. Typically the purpose of special mattresses which have been developed to date has been to provide circulation of air under the patient.
One such approach has been to construct the mattress of foam rubber with many cavities placed in it. This provides a very soft mattress. In addition to the fact that such mattresses fail to adequately prevent the creation of bed sores, these mattresses in fact aggravate the practical problem of the care giver being able to roll the patient over on the mattress. With such a soft mattress, the patient sinks down into the mattress and literally must be raised out of a hole to be moved upon the mattress.
Another approach has involved the use of air mattresses having a foraminous or perforated upper surface through which air is allowed to bleed out of the mattress across the top surface of the mattress. Such mattresses have proven to have a very short service life and they still do not adequately prevent the creation of bed sores.
Neither of these approaches has been successful enough to achieve widespread use by hospitals and other health care institutions. Long term patients are typically placed upon conventional mattresses. The problem of moving such patients on the mattress is typically addressed through the use of a "draw sheet". A draw sheet is simply a folded up bed sheet which lies under the upper torso of the patient and extends laterally across the mattress. When it is desired to roll the patient over or move the patient from the hospital bed to a litter, the draw sheet is looped over the top of the patient and the patient is literally dragged across the top of the mattress onto the litter. Similar techniques are used merely to turn the patient over in the bed, particularly if the patient is a large individual.
With the ever increasing population of bed ridden patients, and with medical advances which make it possible to maintain the lives of these patients far longer than has been possible in the past, the problem of bed sores for long term bed ridden patients becomes an ever more acute one.
There is truly a long felt need in the industry, and by society in general, for an effective and economical solution to this problem.